Second Ave Offices: The Time In Between (WLW)

Chapter Eight

Fiona woke to the alarm on her bedside table and shut it off, then rolled over as she replayed the events of her weekend on a loop. She felt herself warm as she thought of Kanda's gentleness and the cocoon in which she'd surrounded her two days prior in the midst of all the falling foliage. Yesterday and Tuesday she'd taken off to be with her mother and Kanda had also visited them Monday evening, bringing banana pudding with her to gift her mother. She'd gobbled it down within the time it had taken Fiona to introduce her new love interest to her family and was happy she'd gotten to enjoy it before she couldn't keep anything down at all.

Now it was time for Fiona to let her personal worries go and focus on her patients, yet she found herself drawn to her phone nonetheless.

"Hello, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" Her mother asked after she dialed and it rang a handful of times.

"Yes, mom. Did you?"

Concern filled her chest as she sat up all the way, eyeing the anklet Kanda had given her the day of her visit to the hospital. Apparently among the many things within which she was well versed, she was also very good at making hemp jewelry. She'd explained it was a family tradition to give an anklet to a significant other and that only made Fiona blush as she pulled her pajama leg down, trying to remain focused on her mother for the time being.

"Yes, dear. Well, as well as can be expected. I may be discharged today, but if you haven't the time--"

"I always have time for you, mom. Call me when you have a specific time frame and I will be there, okay?" Cynthia grunted on the other end of the phone and she decided to change the subject. "I...am having lunch with Kanda today, mom. What did you think of her?"

"I was wondering if you would ever ask after avoiding the topic all of yesterday." Her mother paused and she heard her shifting in her seat from the other side of the phone. "I thought she was brilliant and bright. She's so eclectic. Will she be joining you when you come later today?"

"Would you like that?" Fiona stood up from her bed and moved to her wardrobe. She opened it and put her phone on speaker. "I mean, would that be okay?"

"Absolutely. I really liked her, Fiona. She's an excellent fit for your curious mind. I expect she feels the same after giving you that anklet." Fiona pursed her lips as she turned her head from rifling through her clothing and back toward her phone, staying quiet. "What? You thought I hadn't noticed. I did, along with your sister who apparently knew you were a match made in heaven long before you ever did. Same goes for Chloe."

"Mom, you're too much."

"That's what they tell me, but I really do mean it, hun. She is a wonderful woman and I am so happy for you."

Fiona went back to picking her clothing for the day from her wardrobe as a heat ran up and down her spine. "Thank you..." She pulled her favorite top from inside, and then the skirt she finished yesterday in her mother's hospital room. "Are you sure the skirt I was working on yesterday isn't bad? I want to look nice today."

"Yes, Fiona. Just like all your other clothes, it suits you very well. Why do you want to look your best today?"

"Well, when I go and have lunch with Kanda today it'll be with her coworkers as well." She paused before she added the next part, unsure of whether or not she should even say it aloud lest she ruin things before they ever took off, but left her caution to the wind as her mother prompted many-a-time. "She wants me to get to know them and claims they'll love me."

"And why wouldn't she? Why wouldn't they? I'll tell you this again until you understand, dear. You are worth it. You always have been, Fiona. Don't fret too much before things even go bad, 'cause they may never even reach that point. Enjoy this, alright?"